carbon dioxide – HPCwirehttps://www.hpcwire.com
Since 1987 - Covering the Fastest Computers in the World and the People Who Run ThemFri, 09 Dec 2016 14:11:16 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.760365857NASA Debuts Stunning CO2 Visualizationhttps://www.hpcwire.com/2014/11/25/nasa-debuts-stunning-co2-visualization/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nasa-debuts-stunning-co2-visualization
https://www.hpcwire.com/2014/11/25/nasa-debuts-stunning-co2-visualization/#respondWed, 26 Nov 2014 00:32:17 +0000http://www.hpcwire.com/?p=16568In keeping with the SC spirit of HPC matters, we wanted to share another amazing example of supercomputing in action. Last week, NASA officials released the first ever ultra-high-resolution computer model of global atmospheric carbon dioxide. The simulation, which can be seen below, depicts the puffs and swirls of carbon dioxide as it circumnavigates the globe. While we wrote about […]

]]>In keeping with the SC spirit of HPC matters, we wanted to share another amazing example of supercomputing in action. Last week, NASA officials released the first ever ultra-high-resolution computer model of global atmospheric carbon dioxide. The simulation, which can be seen below, depicts the puffs and swirls of carbon dioxide as it circumnavigates the globe. While we wrote about the hardware that enabled the project previously, the simulation and resultant visualization merit further attention.

Solid data for ground-level carbon dioxide measurements goes back decades, but it was only in July that NASA began tracking global space-based carbon levels, thanks to the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) satellite, the first NASA satellite mission to provide a global view of carbon dioxide. The new computer model, called GEOS-5, was created by scientists at NASA Goddard’s Global Modeling and Assimilation Office. It runs at a resolution that is 64 times greater than that of typical global climate models. The resultant visualization, part of a simulation called “Nature Run,” brings this model to life in a way that is as breath-taking as it is shocking.

As explained by NASA, Nature Run is loaded with data on atmospheric conditions and the global greenhouse gas emission data from both natural and man-made sources. The full Nature Rum simulation covered two years, from May 2005 to June 2007, running on the NASA Center for Climate Simulation’s Discover supercomputer cluster at Goddard Space Flight Center. It produced nearly four petabytes of data and took 75 days to complete. The project is key to advancing scientific understanding of climate change and the behavior of carbon dioxide, which reached the critical 400 parts per million threshold this year.

“The visualization compresses one year of data into a few minutes,” narrates Bill Putman, lead scientist on the project from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “Carbon dioxide is the most important greenhouse gas affected by human activity. About half of the carbon dioxide emitted from fossil fuel combustion remains in the air, while the other half is absorbed by natural land and ocean reservoirs.

“In the Northern hemisphere, we see the highest concentrations are focused around major emissions sources over North America, Europe and Asia. Notice how the gas doesn’t stay in one place, it’s controlled by large scale weather patterns within the global circulation. During spring and summer in the northern hemisphere, plants absorb a substantial amount of carbon through photosynthesis, thus removing some of the gas from the atmosphere. We see this change in the model as the red and purple colors begin to fade.”

“OCO-2 observations and atmospheric models like GEOS-5 will work closely together to better understand both human emissions and natural fluxes of carbon dioxide,” continues Putman. “This will help guide climate models toward more reliable predictions of future conditions across the globe.”

Aside from these stunning visualizations, NASA’s Goddard scientists are also releasing a robust version of Nature Run to the scientific community. Both the model and the visualization were demoed at the SC14 supercomputing conference last week in New Orleans.

]]>https://www.hpcwire.com/2014/11/25/nasa-debuts-stunning-co2-visualization/feed/016568The Coming ‘C’ Change in Datacentershttps://www.hpcwire.com/2010/06/15/the_coming_c_change_in_datacenters/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the_coming_c_change_in_datacenters
https://www.hpcwire.com/2010/06/15/the_coming_c_change_in_datacenters/#respondTue, 15 Jun 2010 07:00:00 +0000http://www.hpcwire.com/?p=5256The good folks at the Uptime Institute estimate that datacenter CO2 emissions will quadruple between 2010 and 2020; also that annual global datacenter CO2 emissions are already on par with the CO2 emissions of the airline industry, or even entire countries. Maybe we should put datacenters in airplanes and keep all the CO2 flying around.

]]>Recently, I was at the Uptime Institute in New York and had several conversations about carbon dioxide (CO2) management for datacenters. Energy consumed by US datacenters in 2010 will reach 3 percent of overall US energy production. This will double in about five years given that the annual growth in datacenter energy consumption is 10 percent. Increases in datacenter CO2 emissions should mirror energy consumption increases since most datacenters will be unable to convert to greener, cleaner, renewable energy sources.

The good folks at the Uptime Institute estimate that datacenter CO2 emissions will quadruple between 2010 and 2020; also that annual global datacenter CO2 emissions are already on par with the CO2 emissions of the airline industry, or even entire countries. Maybe we should put datacenters in airplanes and keep all the CO2 flying around.

The IT professionals that I spoke with are becoming familiar with their datacenters’ “carbon footprint.” They understand that by managing CO2 emissions they will be better prepared for existing or future greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations. (GHG also includes water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone.)

Also, I noticed that a number of application software companies have sprouted up to promote carbon management information systems that deal with issues around CO2 compliance standards, CO2 inventory baselining, and financial management of carbon allowances and credits. Certainly, innovative application solutions will be needed to help datacenter professionals and executives navigate through CO2 management challenges associated with:

Compliance.

Conservation.

Complexity.

Cost.

Competitiveness.

The federal government will be among the early adopters of carbon management software. The US federal government’s demand for carbon management software is expected to grow from its current level of $36 million to $294 million by 2017, according to a new report by Pike Research.

US Legislation

In the United States, government regulations concerning CO2 include the EPA’s GHG Reporting Rule and the pending Kerry-Lieberman bill, known as “cap and trade.” Under the EPA’s GHG Reporting Rule, suppliers of fossil fuels or industrial greenhouse gases, manufacturers of vehicles and engines, and facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons or more per year of GHG emissions are required to submit annual reports to EPA. This would include the largest datacenters, and there is a concern that over time this floor of 25,000 metric tons would be reduced by government. Currently, over a dozen US states are contesting this new EPA law in court, so stay tuned.

The passage of the Kerry-Lieberman bill in 2010 is less certain, especially now with the oil spill crisis in the Gulf of Mexico, but it is potentially far reaching. If passed, it would require many businesses to measure, monitor, or manage GHG offsets, abatement projects, GHG sources, GHG reporting, carbon prices, and various protocols. This could be a nightmare for datacenter professionals. Just the bill’s preamble scares me, especially the “for other purposes” language:

To secure the energy future of the United States, to provide incentives for the domestic production of clean energy technology, to achieve meaningful pollution reductions, to create jobs, and for other purposes.

Call for Action

I tend to believe that government mandates are less efficient delivery mechanisms than programs developed through private industry and self-regulation; what concerns me is that I have not seen the IT industry take a more proactive, self-regulatory role with regard to managing and minimizing CO2 emissions. Consider these questions:

Why should the IT industry wait around for government standards on CO2 emissions?

Shouldn’t datacenter professionals control and develop their own CO2 management information systems since they understand best their unique IT and business environments?

Why wouldn’t a CEO, Corporate Sustainability Officer (CSO), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) executive, or CIO want to take more control of their destiny?

As mentioned, IT shops can choose from various application solutions and turn to energy efficiency consultants for additional guidance. Datacenters that reduce their CO2 emissions will also reduce their energy bills (OpEx) and total cost of ownership.

I suggest, therefore, that the IT industry create its own “carbon efficiency consortium” to establish carbon management information standards and solutions aimed at reducing CO2 emissions in datacenters. This would be an industry-led, self-regulatory body that provides thought leadership on CO2 management and shares best practices and recommendations for carbon management.

My bet is that datacenter professionals who develop internal management information systems for carbon management now will achieve significant cost savings ahead of their competitors. It’s not just about a greener planet; it’s about building a sustainable and competitive IT and industry advantage.

About the Author

Edward J. Lucente is vice president of business development at Data Center Rebates, Inc., an IT efficiency consultancy based in Carlsbad, Calif., whose professional services focus on datacenter energy efficiency (DCEE), leasing integrated with technology refreshes, and negotiation of IT energy rebates. Please feel free to email comments to ed.lucente@datacenterrebates.com.